(1&2) A Cobra Armoured
Personnel Carrier and a
rocket launcher captured by
troops from fleeing
insurgents in Konduga, Borno
State... on Monday (3) A
base used by the insurgents
for treating wounded
colleagues. Arrowed is a drip.
| credits: PR Nigeria
Gunshots boomed again in
Monguno, Borno State on
Monday as troops, backed by
fighter jets, launched a major
offensive to recapture the city
from militant islamist sect,
Boko Haram.
“The operation resumed on
Monguno this (Monday)
morning through air
bombardment to dislodge the
insurgents,” a Defence
Headquarters source told
Reuters news agency.
The source made this known
as the death toll from the
foiled bid by the sect to
capture Maiduguri is believed
to have risen from 65 to 100.
The sect had launched
simultaneous attacks on
Maiduguri, Monguno,
Kodunga and Gubio on
Sunday. While its fighters
were repelled in Maiduguri,
Gubio and Kodunga, they
overran Monguno after
soldiers who engaged them
in gun battle retreated.
A military barracks in the city
was seized and the Brigade
commander wounded by the
insurgents.
The Defence Headquarters, in
one of its tweets on Monday,
said the troops inflicted more
casualties on fleeing
insurgents while military
locations in Maiduguri and
Konduga were reinforced.
It further stated that the
troops captured a large
number of heavy military
hardware from the
insurgents.
The tweet read, “Our forces
recorded some casualties.
Meanwhile, ground troops are
in charge and Air Force patrol
on going at Maiduguri and
Konduga.
“Substantial amount of heavy
weapons have been captured
as more terrorists died in the
fight which lasted till early
Monday morning.”
5,000 flee to Maiduguri
The National Emergency
Management Agency
Information Officer in the
North-East, AbdulKadir
Ibrahim, told The PUNCH, that
5,000 persons that fled the
captured town had been
registered in Maiduguri.
He said that the Borno State
Government provided an
almost completed housing
estate for the IDPs.
Ibrahim explained that 2,000
of them arrived the state
capital on Sunday and 3,000
on Monday.
He said, “We are expecting
more people; we have put the
needed materials for them to
settle well in the camp.”
Reuters also reported that
majority of those killed in the
Maiduguri fighting were Boko
Haram members.
It said that a Maiduguri-based
journalist, Bello Dukku, who
visited a mortuary in the city
counted 100 bodies, including
15 soldiers.
According to Dukku, 50
people injured in the fighting.
Meanwhile, the curfew
imposed on Maiduguri after
the Sunday attack has been
lifted.
A spokesman for the Army in
the state, Col. Sani Usman,
said, “The curfew has been
lifted. People can go about
their legitimate business.”
The state Governor, Kashim
Shettima, had earlier on
Monday explained to the
residents of the city that the
curfew was imposed “to
enable security personnel to
carry out their operations.”
He said, “I call on the people
of Borno State not to panic.
This is our land. No fear, no
flight, no retreat. We should
not flee. We have a history
dating back 1,000 years and I
swear by Allah, we are going
to subdue them (Boko
Haram).”
The governor, who also
described the attack on
Monguno as bad, said, “ I will
not lie to you. People are
trooping to Maiduguri. They
are being protected by the
military outside the city.
“There is a need for screening
before they are allowed in.”
Meanwhile, an A online news
medium, TheCable, said in its
report on Monday that the
insurgents attacked Michika,
in Adamawa State, “killing
people and burning houses”.
It quoted a a source as
having said that the terrorists
arrived in the town at about
2pm on Monday “firing
gunshots indiscriminately and
burning houses.”
“People who are running,
trying to escape but are being
shot. The soldiers are
engaging them(insurgents)
right now and I hope they
overcome them,” he added.
[b]source:[/] http://www.punchng.com/news/fighter-jets-pound-bharam-locations-in-monguno/